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About Texel
Texel is an island in the province North Holland in the Netherlands. It’s the largest island of the Wadden Islands and accessible by car. The island is located north of Den Helder. From this city you take the ferry to Texel. Texel is a popular summer destination. The beaches and the unique dune/beach/forest and sea landscape attracts visitors from the Netherlands, Belgium, UK and Germany. The island is ideal for people who have a dog. They allow dogs in most café, restaurants and shops. Except supermarkets. At the National Park they allow dogs at most of the trails.
One third of Texel is protected as a natural reserve. The dune landscape is a unique habitat for wildlife. A popular activity is bird spotting. The island is easy and safe to explore with a bicycle or on foot. There are several walking and cycling trails at Texel and the National Park. Read more about things to do at Texel.
Hire a bicycle
Texel is a great island to explore by bike. There are many cycle paths and clear signposts to find your way. The landscape is flat and distances at Texel are short. There is a lot to see and do when you go around the island. At most hotels and holiday parks it’s possible to hire a bicycle. You can either plan your own route or follow a route.
Did you know that the Netherlands has a great reputation when it comes to cycling? The infrastructure, not only at Texel, but in the entire country is designed to keep cyclists safe. Many roads have separate cycle lanes and cyclists have their own crossing and traffic lights.
If you like to know more about cycling at Texel or in the Netherlands, check the Holland Cycling Routes. The website is available in Dutch, English and German. You can also check cycle routes when you prefer to follow a certain cycle route at Texel.
Go for a long walk at the National Park Duinen van Texel
The national park covers approximately 44km² along the entire western side of the island. Also the large beaches on the southern and northern points of the island are part of the national park. The visitor centre is located at Ecomare, a natural museum, aquarium and sanctuary for seals.
They allow dogs at most walking and cycle trails in the park. At some trails the dogs have to be on a leash. During bird breeding season they close one trail. The national park is highly recommended for bird spotting. Discover the unique landscape of forests, dunes, heather fields and large beach plains.
Shopping at the small villages of Den Burg/ De Koog
The main village in Texel is Den Burg. At this village they have a range of stores, from small local boutiques to national (and some) international stores. At Den Burg and de Koog you will find many cafes, bars and restaurants to try out the local cuisine. Visit the website VVV Texel to check up on daily activities at Texel.
Admire the panoramic view at the Red Lighthouse
In the 19th century many ships sunk at the north shore of the island Texel. Between 1848 and 1860 it’s estimated that 72 ships sunk. The light house at Texel was built in 1863 at the north side of the island and is now a popular landmark. In 1945 is lighthouse was severely damaged. The structure was repaired in 1948 by building a new wall around the old lighthouse. When the sky is clear you have an excellent view of North Sea and a part of the Wadden Sea.
Visit Landgoed de Bonte Belevenis
At Landgoed de Bonte Belevenis you can experience different kind of crafts. You can choose which workshops you attend with a craft strip card. Its possible to make your own candle at the candle shop, design you own soap at the soap maker and make your own bread at the bakery. Don’t forget to go for the informative tour at the brewery and distillery.
The outdoor area of Landgoed de Bonte Belevenis is a large garden with farm animals, a playground, picnic area and flower garden. At the end of the flower garden you have an amazing view of the farm land and the village Den Hoorn. See picture below.
The original website of Landgoed de Bonte Belevenis is only available in Dutch. Visit the VVV Texel website for a short introduction in English. The employees at de Bonte Belevenis speak Dutch, German and English. Also the brewery and distillery tour are in these three languages.
Go to the beach and explore the dunes
Where else to go on a warm summer day? Right, the beach. The beautiful, clean and safe beaches at Texel are a great place to spend the day during a getaway weekend. My mom and I visited Texel in October. It was too cold, too rainy and too windy to spend the entire day outside. Despite the winter weather we visited two beaches that week and enjoyed our short walks and climbed up the dunes.
Try the local beers
The traditional local beer brewery, Texelse Bierbrouwerij, is located at Texel and makes their own local specialty beers. There are not only branding their beer as made at Texel, but also try to buy the raw materials from Texel. They have several fixed range beers like Skuumkoppe, Dubbel, Tripel and Vuurbaak. The brewery also offers seasonal beers like Bock and Noorderwiend. You can buy these beers at every supermarket, café, local shop at Texel but also at supermarkets across the Netherlands and Belgium.
Watch the seals at Ecomare
At Ecomare they rescue seals that are not able to survive by themselves. Think of animals that are sick and too weak to survive on their own. Or young seals that lost their mother. As soon as the seals recover they release them, at the beaches of Texel or at a sandbank in the Wadden Sea. A few seals are permanent residents because they can’t be returned into the wild. You can see the seals during feeding times. The caretakers inform visitors about how they live, their character and natural environment.
At Ecomare they also take care of birds and hedgehogs. Besides watching the seals you can visit the museum. They display the history of Texel and how the island was created, the natural landscape and the Wadden.
Glance at the stars
I was surprised when I looked up at night how bright the stars are at Texel. The light pollution is much less compared to the mainland. Don’t forget to look up in the evening and admire the stars and constellations. I’m a complete nerd when it comes to finding constellations but happy to share with you my secret. Download the app Sky Map from Google to identify planets and stars. Have fun at night…
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